Manasseh applauds Mahama over SML contract termination

Celebrated investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has commended President John Dramani Mahama for cancelling all contracts between the government and Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML).

In a Facebook post, Manasseh said President Mahama’s directive followed the completion of investigations by the Office of the Special Prosecutor into the controversial SML contracts.

“President John Dramani Mahama has ordered the immediate cancellation of all SML contracts, following the completion of work by the Office of the Special Prosecutor,” he wrote jubilantly.

The journalist explained that the decision affects the downstream petroleum sector, the upstream petroleum sector, and the mining sector, where the company had been awarded contracts that entitled it to fixed revenue.

“The cancellation means the downstream petroleum sector, the upstream petroleum sector, and the mining sector contracts that entitled SML to fixed revenue would not be implemented,” he added.

Manasseh noted that the consolidated contract across all sectors “was worth over 500 million dollars for the first five years and was to be renewable for another five years.”

The ace journalist, whose investigative work with the Fourth Estate exposed serious flaws in the SML deal, credited his colleagues Adwoa Adobea-Owusu and Evans Aziamor-Mensah for their joint efforts in uncovering the details of what he described as “a dubious deal masterminded by the fugitive Ken Ofori-Atta.”

“I thank my colleagues, Adwoa Adobea-Owusu and Evans Aziamor-Mensah, with whom I investigated the dubious deal,” Manasseh wrote, adding that the investigation revealed how the contract had questionable financial implications for the state.

He further praised President Mahama for upholding his campaign pledge to review and terminate the SML contracts if elected.

“I also thank President Mahama for acting on his promise in 2024 that the NDC government under him would not recognise the shady SML deals,” Manasseh said.

Candidate Mahama, during his 2024 campaign, repeatedly described the SML deal as opaque and promised that his administration would not continue with it if elected.

The cancellation marks the end of one of Ghana’s most contentious government contracts in recent years.